Israel said Sunday it is attempting to aid over 1,000 Israeli nationals still stuck in besieged Ukraine as the Russian invasion of the country enters its third week.
The head of the Foreign Ministry‘s Euro-Asia Division Simona Halperin told Ynet that on the eve of the Russian invasion, between 12,000-14,000 Israelis were still within the Ukrainian borders, despite Jerusalem’s repeated warnings of Moscow’s hostile intentions.
“There are currently less than 1,500 [Israelis left in Ukraine]. We encounter many cases where Israelis lack valid travel documents, a valid passport. Some lost it when they escaped the fighting,” said Halperin, who is currently all hands-on-deck at the Polish-Ukrainian border.
“Lately, the number of Israelis leaving the Ukraine has been declining into no more than a trickle, to very low numbers, to no more than a few dozen a day via all borders."
She said that worrying, at least half of Israelis who still remain do not intend to leave the country. “It's not necessarily because they are safe. Sometimes it's because they are trapped or in places that are considered battle zones and therefore leaving is dangerous,” she added.
Halperin further called on all Israelis still in Ukraine to register with the government's website in order to receive constant updates on the ongoing situation, including through which border crossings it is recommended to flee.
“At the same time, we are very focused on helping Ukraine, and I would like to emphasize that the Foreign Ministry's assistance is not specifically directed at Israelis or Jews, but also as humanitarian aid as part of our good relations with the Ukrainian government,” said Halperin.